Captain's Prerogative
by MyGirlCrais
Summary: Ten cycles after ITLD, Captains Crais and Crichton are firmly on the same side, like it or not, leading the Peacekeeper resistance. New arrivals force Crais to reexamine his convictions and Crichton gets bored, leading him to attempt the impossible...
1. Part 1

Disclaimer: Farscape belong to Jim Henson etc. Important point is, they're not mine.  
  
Rating: Hard PG-13 (Not for sex)  
  
Timing: As of 'Into the Lions' Den: Part 2'  
  
'Captain's Prerogative' now has two prequels, also on ff.net. 'His Heaven' comes first and picks up where ITLD2 leaves off. Next is 'Tomorrow', which links the two. One of these days, I'll actually write a sequel.  
  
Braca's first name is given as 'Alasis', the name I picked for him before the PTBs got their act together.  
  
'Captain's Prerogative' gained an honourable mention in the Best AU Fanfic category in the Farscape Fanfiction Awards 2003.  
  
'Captain's Prerogative' has been entered in the 2004 Farscape Fanfiction Awards under 'Best Series' (as part of the CP Universe series). If you don't like this fic, ignore this. If you do, I'd appreciate your nominations and (after January 10th) your votes. I'd give you a link, but I can't seem to make it come up when I upload. I'm sure Google will turn it up. Thank you.  
  
'Captain's Prerogative'  
  
Part 1  
  
Captain John Crichton strode down the corridor, whistling the theme tune to 'Captain Scarlet' which had been stuck in his head since that morning and stubbornly refused to budge. He turned a corner, neatly dodged a Tech loaded down with tools - waving off his apology - and knocked sharply on the third door on the left. The office of his ally - not friend, never friend - Captain Bialar Crais.  
  
"Come in," a weary voice said.  
  
Crichton did, opening the door with a flourish. "Mornin' sunshine," he said cheerfully, deliberately choosing a greeting that he knew would irritate Crais, "what do you have for me today?"  
  
Bialar Crais looked up from his desk and Crichton regarded him silently. Hell they'd all changed in the last ten cycles, but none more so than Crais. If it was possible, Crais seemed to have aged more than Crichton himself had. And he would continue to if he kept pulling these all- nighters.  
  
"Crais man," Crichton said, seriously this time. "Go to bed. I'll take over."  
  
"You are merely my advisor, Crichton, you cannot give me orders," Crais' matter-of-fact tone even more annoying because he was right.  
  
"I'm your equal in rank, so you can't overrule me either. Plus, if I called Doctor Taan up here, she'd take one look at you and order you to take six weekens' bed rest. And she *can* overrule you," Crichton said, smirking at Crais.  
  
The lines of tension around Crais' mouth deepened. Crichton was right, unfortunately. He should never have promoted him.  
  
"Very well," Crais said, through clenched teeth. "You will restrict your activities to those areas that are absolutely essential and leave the rest to myself. Is that understood, Captain?"  
  
Crichton gave a jaunty salute. "Yes, Captain," he replied, smiling smugly.  
  
Crais forcibly restrained himself from punching Crichton and nodded sharply, walking out of his office and leaving his duties to Crichton's tender mercies.  
  
***  
  
Life, Crichton had decided several cycles ago, was pretty good. The day he'd realised that he could have Aeryn or he could have Earth had been a turning point. Their decision to leave Moya, heart-wrenching even with their former shipmates now scattered across the uncharted territories, had turned out to be one of the best they had ever made. Fate had smiled on them. Living planet-side again, at the HQ base far from Peacekeeper space, was a welcome change. They had a lot to be thankful for.  
  
Like Lizzie.  
  
John Crichton's only daughter was the image of her beautiful mother and the light of his life. He and Aeryn had barely arrived at their new home when they had discovered she was on her way, but the prospect of a settled existence had meant that her appearance, though unexpected, had been far from unwelcome. It had been, Crichton decided, the icing on the cake. Although most of the resistance members were ex-PKs or other military, the rules were relaxed here. Couples could - and did - fall in love, marry, have kids. Lizzie had plenty of other children to play with and loved living there. Aeryn, now Lieutenant Sun - no matter how long Crichton had spent trying to convince her to use his name - spent her days training prowler pilots and was widely considered one of the finest instructors they had. Yup, life was good.  
  
Well, for him anyway.  
  
Frankly, and he'd never thought he would be saying this, he was worried about Crais. His new position, beginning a cycle ago now, when the original leader had been assassinated by Peacekeepers, had brought his obsession, drive and single-mindedness to the fore once again and those traits had rapidly taken over just about everything else. He permitted no distractions and persuading him to pursue any kind of recreation (in the Human sense of the word at least) had gone from extremely difficult to impossible. When they'd first arrived, Crichton had idly entertained the idea that Crais might find someone other than Aeryn to think about and lighten up a bit. Unfortunately, it hadn't come to pass.  
  
As much as Crichton didn't want to admit it, they needed Crais. He had been the right choice for leader. And if he kept on killing himself with the pace.... Obviously it was his duty to interfere. Again.  
  
***  
  
Dr Alayna Taan was somewhere in her mid-thirties (at least, that was how she appeared to Crichton), with a shortish crop of terminally untidy blond hair and eyes the colour of Granny Smiths. She was not particularly tall and her figure was womanly rather than model-thin. She had been the perfect choice for Chief Medic. She was virtually the PK anti-christ, in that she considered a person's rank and race irrelevant except when it mattered to them and was blessed with an excellent bedside manner. No one, from the cadets to the officers, had any doubt in her knowledge and skill. She was the one who'd taken care of Aeryn all through her pregnancy and delivered Lizzie and Crichton would have no other doctor.  
  
And, far more important for his purpose, she was the only one who could relieve Crais of duty. Like captains everywhere, Crais avoided medical treatment like the plague and Laynie was the only one able to get near enough to find out if he needed it.  
  
"Good morning, Captain," she greeted him, with a friendly smile. "What can I do for you?"  
  
Crichton smiled back, hopping up to sit on one of the medibeds. "Crais. I want you to go see him, look him over and tell him that you'll relieve him of duty if he doesn't start getting some rest. He'll object. Give him a shot of something so that he doesn't have a choice."  
  
Laynie grinned, making a poor attempt to hide her amusement. "You know I can't do that unless he asks for it. I can only overrule a patient's wishes if their life depends on it, and even then only if two other members of staff agree."  
  
Crichton hopped down again. "You couldn't...bend the rules a little, could you?"  
  
Laynie paused. Crichton bent more rules than anyone else in the resistance, but she knew as well as he did that something needed to be done about Crais. "I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thanks Doc," Crichton said, smiling at the woman he'd come to consider a friend. "Oh, by the way, Aeryn said to let you know that they're doing combat scenarios with the sub-officers today and to expect a rush later on."  
  
"I'll alert Doctor Kelna," Laynie replied, sighing. "But is it really necessary to keep breaking so many bones?"  
  
Crichton shrugged. "Don't ask me, not my department. I'm just Crais' gopher."  
  
"I think Captain Crais values you more than that," Laynie replied, knowing quite well that Crichton knew that anyway.  
  
"I've yet to see the evidence," Crichton replied, affecting a martyr's air which slipped after a microt. In truth, he quite enjoyed his position, but he'd be damned if he was going to let Crais know that. "Anyway, I've got to do the mountain of paperwork that I've just dumped on myself. Good luck with Crais."  
  
Laynie watched him go, biting her lip in indecision.  
  
***  
  
Bialar Crais had, naturally, ignored Crichton's 'suggestion'. He *was* in his quarters, but instead of resting he was reading the new-recruit list. They had to be careful about people joining the resistance, one leak and their position would be severely compromised. New people joining were never allowed to come straight to the head-quarters, they stayed at the secondary base until Crais' people had agreed that they were loyal beyond all reasonable doubt. Crais insisted on being kept informed of every new arrival and transfer candidate. The recruiting team did well though, he'd never once had to refuse a transfer request.  
  
As he looked down the list of names, one caught his eye. Officer Jian Senva. He recognised the name, but couldn't place it. He started to pull up the man's record, but stopped when the door chimes of his quarters rang.  
  
"Come in," he said, shutting the console screen off.  
  
Laynie stepped into the room and stood to attention.  
  
"Doctor," Crais greeted her.  
  
"Captain."  
  
"I...assume that Crichton has been speaking to you," Crais stated, rising from the console and talking a step towards her.  
  
"He has," Laynie replied. "He's concerned about you."  
  
Crais raised an eyebrow. "A few cycles ago that would have been beyond the realm of the possible."  
  
"Nevertheless, I'm here," Laynie answered. "He tells me that you're not resting. Are you having difficulty sleeping?"  
  
"Occasionally," Crais conceded.  
  
"Occasionally meaning most nights or every night?" She knew him too well to fall for that.  
  
Crais sighed. "Almost every night," he admitted.  
  
Laynie stepped closer. "Captain...I do not wish to relieve you of duty, but if you continue to endanger your health in this way I will be forced to," she said, meeting his eyes. "I can give you something to help you sleep, or I can recommend a program of relaxation exercises, which would be a better long-term solution."  
  
"You will not take no for an answer, will you?" Crais asked, slowly moving towards her.  
  
"Captain...I must safeguard your health. It is my duty," she answered, very conscious of how close he was to her. "To you and to the resistance."  
  
"And that is all?"  
  
She closed her eyes. "You don't need to ask that question."  
  
Crais slid one arm around her, placed his hand on her lower back and pulled her to him, using the other hand to tip her face up to his as he brought his lips down to hers. Laynie wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as she lost herself in his embrace.  
  
"As your doctor, I must object to any unnecessary exertion in your weakened state," Laynie whispered, as Crais' lips moved from her mouth to her neck.  
  
"And as yourself?"  
  
She closed her eyes. "You don't need to ask that question either."  
  
***  
  
It wasn't until Crais awoke, in the late afternoon after the first good rest he'd had in weekens, that his mind returned to the transfer list. Getting out of bed and pulling his uniform back on, he pulled up the file of the man in question to get a good look at it. The moment he saw the picture, he remembered. He'd been a friend of Tauvo's, he remembered being introduced to him once. He hadn't paid all that much attention to Tauvo's friends at that time, but now the chance to speak with someone who had known Tauvo well would be a pleasure. Someone else to help keep Tauvo's memory alive.  
  
With that mystery resolved, his thoughts stubbornly strayed back to Laynie. Crais had decided when he joined the resistance as second-in-command that romance would be too much of a distraction. On meeting Dr Taan, he'd realised that he could have her as a valued friend or as a recreational partner, it couldn't be both...and he knew she was too important an ally to risk it. For nine cycles she had remained so. The day he had suddenly found himself in charge of the entire resistance fleet had passed in a blur and that evening he'd found himself with her, forgetting his every resolve and giving in to the feelings he'd kept tightly controlled for so long. Since then, their relationship had entered an odd limbo stage. He was still convinced that he couldn't make a permanent bond and keep his mind on his responsibilities, but he couldn't make himself stop seeing her either. With her he was always out of control. It was a feeling he hated, but one he'd somehow managed to become addicted to.  
  
Crais sighed, forcing his mind back to business. He resolved to make contact with Officer Senva as soon as he arrived on the base. In the meantime, he thought grimly, he needed to see the mess Crichton had undoubtedly made of his duties.  
  
***  
  
Crichton had his feet up on Crais' desk when Crais walked in and did not remove them. That one gesture was enough to remind Crais how utterly unlike anyone else he had ever met Crichton was. No Peacekeeper would have dreamed of doing such a thing.  
  
"Afternoon," Crichton said, glancing up at him. "You look marginally less like dren. I guess Dr Taan gave you something after all."  
  
"Yes, she did," Crais replied, rather hoping that Crichton would not inquire what. The last thing he wanted was Crichton knowing about his weakness for her. "Is there...anything to report?"  
  
Crichton pulled his feet off the desk and stood up, moving round to lean against the front of it as he faced Crais. "One of our contacts from sector nine commed in a few arns ago. He said that there's a command carrier passing through the area."  
  
"A long distance from Peacekeeper space."  
  
"Exactly. It's the carrier Pitaak. Under the command..." Crichton said, a twisted smile coming to his face "...of one Captain Alasis Braca. I figured you'd want to know."  
  
"You were correct," Crais replied, raising an eyebrow. "I think perhaps that we need to...investigate this further."  
  
"My thoughts exactly," Crichton said. "Damn...I never get tired of beating that boy up."  
  
He picked up a vid-chip from Crais' desk. "This is all the information we were sent. Lieutenant Hals has already spoken to one of our other contacts in that sector, who has confirmed it. She...suggested sending out a marauder crew to investigate, but I figured that you might want to take this one yourself."  
  
"I take it that you intend to accompany me."  
  
"Yeah, I figure we could take Aeryn too. It'll be just like old times."  
  
"Braca is more dangerous now. He has an entire command carrier under his control," Crais pointed out, taking the vid-chip from Crichton.  
  
"Yeah, I know, but it's still Braca. Can't think outside the box."  
  
"Box?" Crais repeated, for once deigning to ask for an explanation.  
  
"No original thought, just training. He's the PK poster boy. Why d'you think I always beat him?"  
  
"I have often wondered how it could be possible," Crais replied, dead-pan  
  
"Hey, I am a highly trained officer now. I could take you," Crichton declared.  
  
"I would strongly advise you not to attempt it," was Crais' response.  
  
"Course not. You could have me slung into the slammer, but I still could."  
  
"I will take your word for it."  
  
***  
  
"Officer Senva, thank you for responding so promptly."  
  
"Captain Crais," Senva acknowledged him, nodding. He didn't exactly looked pleased to see Crais.  
  
"I recall you...as a friend of my brother...." Crais began.  
  
"Captain," Senva said abruptly, almost interrupting Crais. "If you wish to question me about my record, my future or my beliefs, I will stay, but I do not wish to discuss the past. My loyalty is to the resistance absolutely, and to you as my Captain, but I do not seek any other connection with you."  
  
Crais was taken aback. "I know of no reason why you should object to a simple discussion."  
  
"Captain, may I speak plainly?" Senva asked, staring straight ahead.  
  
"I thought you already had, but permission granted."  
  
"I have no doubt that you are an excellent leader for the resistance, but if it were not for that I would never serve under you."  
  
"May I ask why?" Crais asked, somewhat taken aback. New recruits to the resistance did not normally introduce themselves to him in this manner.  
  
Senva met his eyes, the old venom that had never dissipated rising up again. "Because I hold you responsible for Tauvo's death," he spat.  
  
Crais stared at him, speechless.  
  
"Crais!" Crichton walked in, naturally without knocking. "Oops, bad time?"  
  
Crais mentally shook himself. "No, Crichton, are the preparations complete?" he asked, trying to sound normal.  
  
Crichton nodded. "It's time."  
  
Crais turned back to Senva. "Officer Senva, I hope that we can...elaborate on this point at a later time. Dismissed."  
  
Officer Senva turned and marched out of Crais' office. Crichton whistled when the door had closed behind him. "Not a happy guy. What did you say to him?"  
  
Crais shook his head. "Nothing that concerns our current assignment. Is Lieutenant Sun ready to leave?"  
  
Crichton's face took on a silly grin. "Actually, no, she's not coming."  
  
"For what reason?"  
  
The grin got wider. "Precious cargo on board."  
  
"May I assume that you mean to tell me that Aeryn is with child?"  
  
"Crais, my man," Crichton said, clapping one hand down on his shoulder. "I'm in such a good mood, you can assume anything you like."  
  
***  
  
"Attention, carrier Pitaak, this is Captain Bialar Crais. We have no hostile intent, please power down your weapons."  
  
"They won't listen," Crichton commented, at Crais' use of the standard greeting. "They never do."  
  
"In my experience, the best way to make a Peacekeeper do what you wish is to suggest that they do the exact opposite...and I am counting on that."  
  
"The new defence screens have been tested, right?"  
  
"Extensively, but never against a command carrier."  
  
"You're telling me this *now*?!"  
  
Braca's command carrier, as expected, fired its frag cannons. Crichton momentarily closed his eyes. The defence screen on Crais and Crichton's marauder wirred into life, reflecting the energy straight back to the command carrier. The frag cannons exploded.  
  
Crichton whistled in admiration. "Remind me to thank Lieutenant Necre when we get back. That was one inspired idea."  
  
"We were fortunate to recruit him when we did," Crais replied. He opened the comms channel again. "Captain Braca, will it be necessary for me to destroy anymore of your ship, or are you willing to grant...an audience?"  
  
Braca evidently preferred option one. The carrier's back-up frag cannons fired and were also destroyed by the shields. Crais sighed.  
  
"Captain Braca," he repeated, "I would be quite willing to disable all your weapons one by one, but it would save a great deal of time and effort if you were to co-operate."  
  
There was silence for a few microts, then an irritated voice.  
  
"What do you want, Crais?"  
  
"To come aboard your ship, to address your crew and then to return with any that may wish to join us," Crais replied. "And...to enquire what brings you to this sector."  
  
"There are no traitors aboard *my* ship." Braca sneered. "And my purpose here is none of your concern."  
  
"Oh, I'm afraid it is," Crichton put in. "You see, we control this sector and if you can't give us a good reason not to, we can blast you out of the sky."  
  
"Destroy a command carrier with one marauder?" Braca's voice laughed at them.  
  
Crichton glanced at Crais and rolled his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, Captain not-catch-on-too-quick, we've already taken out your frag cannons without firing a shot."  
  
There was more silence, the kind usually associated with frantic note- passing.  
  
"You intend to come aboard, just the two of you?"  
  
"That is our intent," Crais replied, smiling slightly at Braca's disbelief.  
  
"And what is to stop one of my officers killing you on sight?"  
  
"Thanks for the concern, but we'll take the risk," Crichton replied, biting back a laugh.  
  
Another silence.  
  
"Very well."  
  
Crais shut off the comms channel and turned to Crichton, who was shaking his head.  
  
"You know, this is fun," Crichton said. "What do you say I do recruiting more often?"  
  
"I prefer to keep you at head-quarters..."  
  
"Aww Crais, I didn't know you cared!"  
  
"...where I can keep a close eye on you."  
  
"Spoke too soon."  
  
***  
  
As expected, Braca's soldiers greeted them with a couple of well-placed pulse blasts. The energy dissipated harmlessly over the two men's chests, they didn't even break their stride.  
  
"Take us to Captain Braca," Crais ordered as he approached the guards by the hanger door. Too stunned to object, they did.  
  
"Hey Braca, long time no see," Crichton said amiably, when they arrived, enjoying the look of astonishment on Braca's face.  
  
"Officer Lase, I gave express orders that...."  
  
"Sir, we attempted to follow your orders," Officer Lase, one of the guards said hastily. "But...our weapons were unable to harm them."  
  
Braca stared at Crais and Crichton, standing side-by-side in front of him. "What...technology have you achieved?" he asked, suddenly looking nervous.  
  
"Yeah, like we're gonna tell you," Crichton chuckled dryly. "The only thing you need to know is that we're not stupid enough to come here just to get killed. You let us get on with our business and no one else will be either."  
  
"What do you intend to do?" Braca asked, feeling more than a little out of his element.  
  
"I will...address your crew and you will allow any who wish to join us...to do so," Crais answered.  
  
"But don't worry," Crichton added. "We'll beat you up a bit before we leave and you can tell High Command that we forced you into it."  
  
Braca gave a quick nod, taking the opportunity of moving further away from them. Crais stepped over to the ship-wide address system and opened a channel. Crichton kept one eye on him and one eye on Braca, his hand lightly resting on Wynona.  
  
"Crew of the carrier Pitaak," Crais began. "This is Captain Bialar Crais of the Peacekeeper resistance. I am here to make you an offer. Many of you will be dissatisfied with your lives here. You...may believe that the Peacekeepers...have strayed from their original purpose, or you may wish to live a life that is less restricted - to raise a family perhaps," he said, glancing at Crichton. "We offer you the chance to fight for better causes...and to live your life as you see fit. We will meet in hanger two. You have half an arn to decide if you have the courage to join us."  
  
He shut off the channel and turned to Crichton, who nodded. "Smooth," he said. "What do we do for the next half arn?"  
  
***  
  
"You have any family, Braca?" Crichton asked.  
  
Braca shifted uncomfortably. Crichton's idea of a good way to pass the time was to talk about life at the resistance base and quiz Braca. All the questions were making him very nervous.  
  
"I was born into service," he answered shortly, only fear of the enhanced weapons that Crichton and Crais might have making him answer at all.  
  
"Yeah," Crichton said, "figured that. Would you like some?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Family. A wife, kids. You know, people you care about?"  
  
"Emotional ties hamper a soldier's judgement," Braca stated, with a thinly- veiled accusatory glance at Crais.  
  
"Yeah, of course, what was I thinking?" Crichton said. "Tell me, Captain Braca, have you ever thought about dying?"  
  
"Why do you ask?" Braca said, trying to resist the temptation to risk his life by telling Crichton to shut up.  
  
"Well, it's like this," Crichton said, coming to stand beside Braca and slinging one arm around his shoulders. Braca stood there stiffly. "If I die, Aeryn and Lizzie - and Crichton junior when he gets here - will mourn and that's enough for me. Crais here," he said, moving away from Braca and gesturing widely to Crais. "He dies and the entire resistance movement will mourn the passing of their Captain. Not to mention the girlfriend he thinks I don't know about."  
  
Crais head jerked up in shock. Crichton didn't notice, he was still looking at Braca.  
  
"But you, Braca? If you die today...who will mourn you?" Crichton asked simply. Braca didn't answer.  
  
"I think the half arn is about up," Crichton said. "Time to meet our candidates...if any of your crew have the mivonks for an adventure."  
  
He and the still-stunned Crais got up and left, leaving Braca staring after them.  
  
***  
  
Crichton looked over the list of new recruits as Crais silently flew the marauder home. Slim pickings, but leaving the Peacekeepers took a lot of guts. Plus he'd be surprised if some hadn't been shot as deserters. It was rough, but they'd have to get used to it.  
  
He stretched, arching his back like a cat. They would rendez-vous with one of their crew carriers in an arn, who would take the new people onto the secondary base while Crais and Crichton returned to HQ. He settled back into his chair again, letting his mind stray to more agreeable thoughts of Aeryn and baby number two.  
  
"Crichton," Crais said suddenly, breaking the silence that Crichton hadn't noticed was uncomfortable, "how did you know?"  
  
Reluctantly, Crichton dragged his thoughts back to the marauder. "How did I know what, Crais?"  
  
"How did you know...about myself and Dr Taan?" Crais asked, deliberately keeping his eyes on the console in front of him.  
  
Crichton's lips parted slightly at Crais' words and a grin slowly took over his face. "I didn't, Crais, you just told me," he answered.  
  
Crais' head snapped back up and he stared at Crichton, outraged.  
  
"I knew it! I knew that there had to someone. And Laynie? Damn, I should have seen it. You lucky dog, Crais, she's a great girl...woman...whatever, you have great taste. I can't believe she never said anything!"  
  
"Crichton," Crais said, desperately, "I must ask you not to reveal this to anyone."  
  
Crichton groaned. "Oh Crais, no one's going to challenge your command just because you've *finally* fallen for someone." He saw the look on Crais' face. "Crais...it is possible to combine the two."  
  
"No it is not," Crais replied flatly. "Peacekeeper training was right about some things. I cannot lead the resistance effectively and pursue a relationship. I should never have allowed myself to get involved with her in the first place and I must...terminate it."  
  
"That's crap, Crais."  
  
"It is my decision, regardless of your opinion of it."  
  
Crichton slumped back in his chair. "One of these days, I'll actually talk some sense into you."  
  
"First you will have to develop some yourself," Crais snapped back.  
  
Crichton held up his hands in surrender. Sometimes it just wasn't worth it.  
  
***  
  
Crais, in an attempt to remove the confusion from at least one area of his life, called Officer Senva to his office as soon as he and Crichton returned. He came in a mood Crais easily recognised - ready to obey, but not to co-operate.  
  
"Officer Senva," he began. "The last time we...discussed this subject, you made a statement that I cannot ignore. That you believe...I am to blame for Tauvo's death. Would you care to explain that?"  
  
"With all due respect, Captain," Senva replied, his expression less than friendly. "It would be better if you didn't know."  
  
"Must I order you to explain, Officer?" Crais demanded, growing irritable.  
  
Senva turned his head to look at him. "Very well, I will explain," he said, "but do not blame me if you don't like what you hear."  
  
Crais met his eyes for a moment and didn't like what he saw there. Nevertheless he nodded to Senva and moved round to the other side of his desk, settling himself into his chair and making a firm gesture that Senva should sit down also.  
  
"Begin," he said, when they were both seated.  
  
Senva looked back at him, pausing for a moment in thought. "Forgive me, Captain, but I will have to be blunt. There was much you didn't know about your brother, much that he would never have told you...because you cared more about your career and following regulations that about him."  
  
Those words cut Crais deeply, because he'd thought them too many times himself.  
  
"In short, Captain," Senva continued, pausing for a few microts in a way that made Crais' blood run cold. "Your brother and I were lovers."  
  
Crais nearly fainted. He stared at Senva, shell-shocked, his face white and his vision threatening to black out. "You...cannot be serious," he choked out.  
  
"Oh, I'm quite serious," Senva replied, his expression neutral. "It's rather a dangerous subject to joke about...I'm sure you remember enough about Peacekeeper codes to know that."  
  
Crais leant weakly back in his chair, his head spinning. His first impulse was to react with fury, deny the possibility and order this man out of his office - if not the resistance - but something told him that Senva was telling the truth.  
  
"If he had told you, Peacekeeper directives would have required you to court-martial him," Senva continued. "So neither of us told anyone. Then someone found out...your Lieutenant Teeg."  
  
"Teeg?" Crais asked. "She knew?"  
  
"She did," Senva said, anger obviously building up in him. "She also knew...that if he was found out it would reflect badly on you. High command...would assume that you'd known...and punish you for failing to report it and for exercising *bad judgement* in insisting that he was under your command. So she took care of it."  
  
Crais' heart started to pound. "What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"Didn't you ever wonder how Tauvo came to collide with John Crichton's ship? He was an excellent pilot, how could he have made such an error?" Senva said, glaring at Crais. "It happened because Teeg sabotaged his prowler...he couldn't control his own craft. You spent a cycle chasing that Human through the uncharted territories...and all the time Tauvo's murderer was standing right beside you...until you disposed of her."  
  
Crais closed his eyes, trying to calm his churning stomach. "Officer Senva," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I...require some time to...absorb what you have told me. I will dismiss you now...and speak with you again at a later time."  
  
Senva got up from his seat and walked out, head held high, leaving Crais too mixed up to think.  
  
***  
  
The door chimes rang. Laynie Taan groaned and yawned as she dragged herself out of bed. It was two arns into the sleep cycle, she hadn't slept a wink and she'd had a long day. The last thing she needed was another medical emergency.  
  
"Bia...Captain Crais, what are you doing here?" she asked in amazement.  
  
"I...." Crais began, suddenly realising that he didn't know what to say. "I...am sorry to wake you at this hour. I wish to speak with you. I...need to speak with you."  
  
She looked at him in surprise and concern. "Of course," she said, trying to disguise her amazement at this unprecedented request. "Come in."  
  
***  
  
"I need to speak with Crichton," Crais announced to Lieutenant Hals as he walked into his office the next morning.  
  
Hals handed him a vid-chip. "Captain Crichton...asked me to give you this," she said, with the look she always got right before she told him that Crichton had done something stupid. Crais groaned inwardly. He did not need this.  
  
He shoved the vid-chip into the play slot rather harder than necessary. Crichton's irritatingly cheerful face flashed up in front of him.  
  
"Hey Crais, I forgot something on the Pitaak. Be back soon."  
  
Crais fought down the temptation to utter a loud expletive. He hated it when Crichton did this. Anyone else would have left a flight plan. Anyone else would have waited for permission! But not Crichton, he did whatever he wanted. Act first, think later. Or sometimes not at all.  
  
***  
  
Laynie Taan was trying very hard to be her normal self, but it was proving very difficult. Her mind kept straying back to what Crais had told her the night before, her stomach was churning and with the lack of sleep she was exhausted. And dealing with Mrs Captain Crichton, or rather Lieutenant Sun, was more than she could cope with.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked, trying not to let her own feelings affect her professional demeanour.  
  
"The nausea is worse than last time, in fact every side effect appears to be amplified," Aeryn replied, looking less than happy herself.  
  
"That's not a bad sign," Laynie replied.  
  
"I do not want this to interfer with my duties anymore than it did last time."  
  
Laynie sighed. "Well...I can give you the recipe for some herbal tea that should help relieve the nausea, but you may have to reduce your duty hours to get sufficient rest."  
  
Aeryn looked irritated. "I should not have allowed this to happen a second time," she said firmly, climbing down from the medibed and, nodding to Laynie, leaving the medibay.  
  
Laynie sat down, fighting down another wave of nausea. "I shouldn't have allowed this to happen a first time," she thought miserably.  
  
***  
  
By the time Crichton returned, Crais was pacing his office like a caged tiger. If there was one thing he hated more than anything it was not knowing what was going on. He was in charge of this base and he should know everything that happened here. Crichton's secret projects were the bane of his life.  
  
Crichton strode through the door looking triumphant. Crais turned on him. "Captain Crichton," he said, his eyes blazing. "I expect to be kept informed of everything that goes on at *my* base, is that clear?"  
  
"Chill Crais," Crichton said, as always ignoring Crais' anger. "I got the thing I forgot."  
  
"And what, may I ask, was that?"  
  
"Not what," Crichton said, grinning. "Who."  
  
"Who?" Crais repeated.  
  
Crichton nodded towards the door. Crais' eyes widened in shock as Braca stepped into the room.  
  
"Crichton," he said, now absolutely furious, "how dare you risk bringing this man aboard without consulting me?! He is a security risk!"  
  
"Crais, I'm taking full responsibility for him and everyone here will be alerted to keep an eye on him," Crichton said calmly. "He's my project."  
  
Crais' look of disgust was second only to Braca's. "What *exactly* do you intend to do with him?" Crais asked, through lips tight with tension.  
  
"Turn him into one of us," Crichton said. "I felt like a challenge."  
  
Crais was almost beyond words. "A challenge?!" he shouted. "You intend to risk everything that we have worked for so that you can have a challenge?! Or do you mean that you wish to be a challenge for me - because you certainly are that!"  
  
"Crais, I will watch him," Crichton said, now trying to calm him. "I can do this."  
  
Crais motioned for Crichton to move closer to him, out of Braca's ear shot. "Crichton," he said, his voice low and deadly, "if he causes a security breach, no matter how small, I will kill you on sight. Do you understand that?"  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Then get out of my office."  
  
Crichton nodded sharply. "C'mon Braca, I'll show you to your room." 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
"Officer Senva, there is...one more thing that I wish to ask you."  
  
Crais looked at the face on the screen in front of him, he hadn't felt like speaking in person this time.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why...what made you risk everything to pursue...your relationship?"  
  
"Captain...the Peacekeepers don't forbid emotional connections because they affect performance. They forbid them because...when you're in love, you don't care about authority, or rules, or anything but the person you're in love with. You suddenly realise how unimportant all the other dren is. That's what they try to prevent. So, in answer to your question, I didn't have anything worth risking."  
  
Crais shut off the channel. But I do, he thought.  
  
***  
  
"Captain Braca."  
  
Braca looked up as the door to his new quarters opened. He'd spent most of the last three arns staring at the walls, so it was nice to know that at least one other person lived here.  
  
"Yes...Lieutenant?" he said, uncertainly. That looked like a lieutenant's uniform, but it was trimmed in silver rather than red and the design was subtly different. Suddenly he wasn't so sure of himself.  
  
"Your new uniform, sir," she answered, placing a neatly folded pile, topped by knee-high boots, onto his bed. "And Captain Crichton expects you to report to his quarters at seven sharp."  
  
Braca's scalp crinkled. He was no less worried than Crais about what Crichton had in mind for him. "Why?" he asked.  
  
"Dinner."  
  
Well, he couldn't say that he'd anticipated that response.  
  
"Dinner?" he repeated, in disbelief.  
  
"Yes sir, dinner," the lieutenant said, fighting a smile. "His instructions are, in his words: strip, shower, change and report for inspection by the Mrs."  
  
Braca just looked at her. "Uh...very well...dismissed Lieutenant."  
  
She went, obviously suppressing laughter, leaving Braca wondering if he was hallucinating again.  
  
***  
  
"Is Crais coming?" Aeryn asked, taking another gulp of Laynie's herbal tea and handing Crichton a dish to carry to the table.  
  
"I invited him," Crichton said, "but I don't know if he'll come. He's pretty pissed at me."  
  
"Has there ever been a time when Crais was not 'pissed' at you?" Aeryn asked.  
  
"I'll have you know," Crichton said, feigning outrage, "that there were five microts last weeken when I swear he *almost* liked me."  
  
"Anyone else?" Aeryn asked, choosing not to comment on her mate's last statement.  
  
"I asked Laynie as well, but she said that she wasn't feeling too well," Crichton replied, snurching a bartass root from the table while Aeryn wasn't looking. "So, she's taking a rain check. It looks like it'll be just thee, me and Mr Peacekeeper 2012."  
  
"Do you really believe that you will convince Braca to fight on the side of the resistance?" Aeryn asked seriously.  
  
Crichton shrugged. "That's step two. Step one is to get him good and contaminated so he can't go back. And keep him under close watch so I stay alive."  
  
The door chimes to their quarters rang. "Come in," Crichton said, turning to the door.  
  
Feeling very self-conscious, Braca opened the door and stepped into the room, wearing his new uniform. He tried not to admit to himself that it felt more comfortable than his Peacekeeper one.  
  
Crichton looked him up and down, admiring his creation in a manner frighteningly reminiscent of Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show. Evidently, he approved.  
  
"Evenin' mon Capitaine," he said cheerfully, "make yourself at home."  
  
Crais chose that moment to arrive. He walked in, not stopping to alert Crichton to his presence before entering as he normally did.  
  
"Crichton...." he said, breaking off to glare at Braca.  
  
"Hey Crais, you're just in time for dinner."  
  
"I will not stay," Crais said, abruptly. "But I must speak with you. Please come to my quarters when you have finished your meal."  
  
"Could be pretty late."  
  
"Irrelevant, I will be awake."  
  
"Sounds serious?"  
  
Crais shot a pointed look at Braca, Crichton took the hint. "Fine, I'll be there."  
  
Crais nodded quickly and marched out as quickly as he had arrived. Braca wondered what was going on. So did Crichton.  
  
Aeryn knew.  
  
***  
  
Crais strode rapidly down the corridor towards his quarters, looking forward to his conversation with Crichton about as much as to a session in the Aurora chair. He felt obliged to reveal this new information about the cause of Tauvo's death - Teeg's involvement, if not the rest - but he didn't expect to enjoy it. Especially since Crichton's latest act of insanity had him more tense than all the others put together. Crichton's stupid moves had a way of working out and this one had to. Otherwise, everything that had been built here would be lost.  
  
He'd been in his quarters for precisely ten microts when the door chimes rang. Tension fairly radiating from his body, he slammed his fist on the control panel. The door slid open to reveal Dr Taan.  
  
"I'll come back later," she said, turning away, taking one look at his face and deciding that this was not the right time.  
  
"No," Crais said, catching her arm. "What have you to say?"  
  
Laynie looked nervous, uncomfortable and tired. "Captain...I don't think you'll want it discussed in a doorway."  
  
Crais drew back, letting her enter the room. He moved over towards his desk, motioning for Laynie to begin.  
  
"Captain, should I be blunt?"  
  
Blunt. That word seemed to herald bad news.  
  
"By all means, Doctor," he replied, not sure what he was about to hear, but steeling himself anyway.  
  
"I'm...expecting a child."  
  
Bialar Crais felt like weeping. This was too much for one day. His brother had been homosexual - just one of the many things Crais had been taught were repellent - and his ex-lover was now living at the base, Crais' ex-second-in-command, his worst living enemy and, as Crichton put it, the PK poster boy, was having dinner with his current one and now the woman he had to remind himself daily he couldn't have was pregnant. There was no other conclusion, the universe hated him.  
  
"Ah," he said, too emotionally drained to manage anymore.  
  
Laynie stared at him. "I...was expecting a little more reaction," she said.  
  
"Doctor...I do not believe that I can...discuss this properly at the present time. Could we continue this tomorrow?"  
  
"Of course, Captain," Laynie said, looking angry for possibly the first time since Crais had met her. "I'm very sorry to *inconvenience* you."  
  
She swept out of his quarters, leaving Crais wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and forget that this day had ever happened. There was just one thing he had to do first.  
  
"Crichton," he said wearily into his comms.  
  
A pause. "Yeah, Crais?"  
  
"I am postponing our conversation until tomorrow."  
  
"Something wrong, Crais?"  
  
"Tomorrow, Crichton."  
  
***  
  
Aeryn Sun stayed up late that night, and not just because of her difficulty in sleeping due to her pregnancy. She'd known the moment she'd seen Senva's name on the transfer list that there was going to be trouble and Crais' face tonight had confirmed it. What kept her up was the doubt in her mind about whether or not she should tell what she knew.  
  
Senva might believe that only Lt. Teeg had known about it, but Tauvo would have told him that that wasn't true. That Aeryn, who'd been Tauvo's company colleague, friend and one time recreational partner - long before Senva had walked into his life - had known too. And known more than anyone else.  
  
Why else would she have defended Crichton to Crais, the action that had resulted in her being declared irreversibly contaminated? She'd known what Teeg had done, known that Crichton hadn't killed Tauvo and the sense of justice that had begun her real life had compelled her to tell Crais that Crichton was innocent...even if she couldn't explain her certainty.  
  
But she wouldn't tell Crais now either. Sometimes, the past was best left buried.  
  
***  
  
The next morning Crais experienced something he couldn't remember ever feeling before - a difficulty getting out of bed. Whether it was duty, revenge or commitment, he'd never had problems of this nature before. Today though, he couldn't face the world. Just the idea of getting dressed seemed like too much to cope with. He felt utterly exhausted.  
  
"Lieutenant Hals," he said, tapping his comms.  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Tell Captain Crichton that he is to see to any pressing matters today, I may speak to him later."  
  
"Sir?" Lt. Hals' astonishment at this unprecedented request was obvious.  
  
"You have my orders, Lieutenant."  
  
"I...yes, sir. There...is just one matter sir. I have received a private communiqué addressed to Officer Aeryn Sun. May I direct it to Lt. Sun?"  
  
Crais sighed. "Yes, Lieutenant. I have no doubt of her loyalty."  
  
"Of course not, sir."  
  
Crais shut off his comms and waited for what he knew was coming.  
  
***  
  
"What?" Crichton said, in a state of absolute disbelief.  
  
"Captain Crais says that you are to see to essential matters today."  
  
"Crais isn't working?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Crais is having a day off?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Oh shit," Crichton said, his cheerful smile wiped off his face. "This is very, very bad."  
  
He walked decidedly faster than usual as he left the office and headed to Crais' quarters. The time for joking was over. Crais had not had a day off in ten cycles. Whatever the frell had happened, it had to be fixed.  
  
On reaching his destination and, as expected, finding the door locked, Crichton punched in the override code it had taken him a full six monens to convince Crais to give to him. The second was always supposed to have an emergency code and only Crais had tried to buck the trend. He was thankful now that he'd persisted.  
  
"Crais?" he said, slowly approaching the bed, possibly the first note of genuine concern that he'd ever directed Crais' way in his voice.  
  
"Crichton," Crais answered, in an exhausted voice, without bothering to turn over, "I would very much prefer to be left alone."  
  
"Not going to happen," Crichton said quietly, pulling up an uncomfortable chair and sitting beside Crais' bed. "Crais...we've never been friends, but whether I'm your ally, your second-in-command or just concerned...I can't let this pass. All joking aside, I'm worried about you. I've been telling you for monens that if you keep this up, you'd wake up one morning and not be able to get out of bed, I didn't expect to be right."  
  
"You have also been telling me to rest and now you object when I do."  
  
"You *never* do anything I tell you to do," Crichton said. "The very fact that you are scares me. So, whatever it is, I'm gonna stay here until you start talking about it."  
  
There was silence. Then Crais began to speak. That scared Crichton more, Crais never gave in that easily.  
  
"Crichton...you recall that I wanted to speak to you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I have...recently received some news...concerning my brother's death," Crais said slowly. "It seemed that...you were even less to blame than I thought. Tauvo's prowler...was sabotaged. That is why he collided with you...and why he was unable to right himself."  
  
Crichton's lips parted. "Sabotaged...who sabotaged it?" he asked, in disbelief.  
  
"My second-in-command, Lt. Teeg."  
  
"Why?" Crichton asked, stunned.  
  
Crais was silent again. "I would...prefer not to tell you that...yet. Suffice to say, Tauvo was...involved in something that, had it been made public, would have resulted in his execution and my disgrace. Teeg...was very loyal to me...she tried to...eliminate the risk."  
  
"By killing your brother? That's a funky kind of loyalty," Crichton said, trying to imagine someone killing DK - the closest thing he had to a brother - to protect his reputation.  
  
Crais sighed in defeat. "Teeg...was born into service. She could never understand the...loyalty and sense of responsibility that I felt for my brother."  
  
"Yeah, but...."  
  
"Crichton, there is no sense in reliving this once again. But, I must tell you that...I have always felt a lingering sense of...anger over your part in Tauvo's death. I now...absolve you of any responsibility. Teeg herself is dead - and at my own hands - and there is nothing more to be done."  
  
Crichton got up from his seat and walked over to the window, running his fingers through his hair. "What else?" he asked.  
  
"Else?"  
  
"There's more, Crais. I can tell."  
  
Another few microts silence. "Dr Taan...Laynie...is pregnant."  
  
That got Crichton's attention. He came back to the bed and moved round it until he was looking at Crais' face. "Are you serious?" he asked, crouching down beside the bed.  
  
"I am...afraid so," Crais answered, feeling extremely uncomfortable with Crichton staring at him.  
  
"You got her knocked up?"  
  
Crais sighed, almost irritated. "I believe I just said that."  
  
Crichton slapped a hand down on the bed, making Crais jump, his face breaking into a grin. "Congratulations!" he said, obviously delighted.  
  
"This is not something to celebrate."  
  
"Beg to differ, Crais, this is absolutely something to celebrate. It's not every day I find out I'm going to be an uncle."  
  
"An uncle?" Crais asked, in disbelief.  
  
"Well, close enough," Crichton said. "And you as a father? I was beginning to think I wouldn't live to see that. Although, no offence, but I really hope it inherits its personality from its mother's side of the family."  
  
"Crichton...I cannot be a father."  
  
Crichton paused. "Well, from what you've just told me, I think it's a bit late to be saying that."  
  
"How can I lead the resistance and raise a child?"  
  
"It's easy, Crais," Crichton said, sitting on the bed beside him. "You let me do more, you let Lieutenant Hals do more, you don't keep doing completely unnecessary things. I've told you before, you don't need to kill yourself to be a good leader."  
  
Crais said nothing. Crichton got up and walked around the bed again. "Think about it, Crais and get up. You're making me feel sorry for you...and that's just wrong."  
  
He left Crais' quarters then. The odd thing was, Crais actually did feel slightly better.  
  
***  
  
Aeryn received her communiqué during her morning training session and set it aside, wondering who wanted to contact her and why they were using the rank she hadn't borne in ten cycles. Once the session was over, she headed back to her quarters to read it, mindful that it was marked 'private'.  
  
Pulling up the message, her eyes widened and her heart rate doubled in speed. After all this time! She immediately hit her comms. "Officer Senva, report to my quarters immediately."  
  
'Officer Aeryn Sun, late of Icarian Company, Pleisar Regiment.  
  
Greetings. Should've known you'd find your way to the resistance eventually. Always knew you had it in you. Am currently on Ulka Three - pleasure planet - co-ordinates enclosed. Will stay for three weekens. Any hope of a free prowler ride?  
  
T. Crais.'  
  
***  
  
Sheer boredom had made Braca leave his quarters in search of some company. Or, at least, proof of what Crichton had told him about life here. In many ways it was the typical military base. From what he'd heard so far, many of the Peacekeepers' finest officers were now here. But there were differences. He saw groups of friends laughing together, the occasional couple - not attempting to hide what they felt for each other. Braca, not used to people expressing affection openly like this, felt uncomfortable.  
  
The officers' lounge, or the nearest equivalent here, brought the contrast into sharp focus. Four - two lieutenants and two sub-officers - were sitting round a table, laughing like hyenas. A fifth sat on the lap of one of the lieutenants, who had his arm around her waist. She was the only one talking and was obviously responsible for their mirth. All around them he saw other couples...most of whom seemed to have formed for more than a couple of arns' recreation.  
  
"Hey you."  
  
Braca spun round, startled. Peacekeeper captains were not generally addressed in that manner.  
  
"Do you play bhartok?" the man enquired.  
  
"I...have played it," Braca answered, uncertainly.  
  
"Good, we need another player," his new friend said. "Come and sit down."  
  
Too disoriented to object, Braca sat. "Do...you know who I am?" he asked in confusion.  
  
"Of course," one of the others at the table, an attractive lieutenant with dark hair, said. "You're Captain Braca. Captain Crichton sent out a...what did he call it?"  
  
"A memo," the blond officer next to her replied.  
  
"Right, a memo," the first continued with a grin. "We're supposed to be contaminating you as soon as possible. I'm Lt. Lorie Benhe, this is Officer Kaitlin Macase," she nodded to the blond, "and Senior Officer Keran Link," she indicated the man who had spoken to him.  
  
"You already know who I am...." Braca began.  
  
"Yes, but right now I just want you to help me beat Lorie," Keran said. "She's won far too many rounds tonight...I suspect that she has an advantage."  
  
"I do," Lorie hit back. "I'm more intelligent than you."  
  
"One day, I'll out-rank you and court-martial you for insubordination."  
  
"When I make Captain I'll transfer you to the front line."  
  
They continued in this vein for the next two arns, during which time Braca came to the conclusion that he was dying and this entire experience was merely the product of his fevered imagination.  
  
At least, that was what he was hoping.  
  
***  
  
"Lt. Sun, you cannot be serious," Senva said, raking his fingers through his hair.  
  
"I am completely serious," Aeryn replied. "Tauvo wasn't in his prowler when it exploded."  
  
"Then who was?"  
  
"No one. I set it on autopilot."  
  
"Prowlers don't *have* autopilot."  
  
"High Command had a few prototypes being tested by skilled pilots who could take over if they failed. Naturally Crais saw to it that Tauvo got one. I set it to track one of the other prowlers, but there were a few problems...that's why his flight path was erratic."  
  
"And what happened to Tauvo?" Senva asked, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.  
  
"I found out what Teeg was planning in advance and told him. He managed to hide aboard the transport pod that came from the rear battle cruiser earlier that day and escape from Crais' carrier. Past that I don't know. I didn't even know if he was still alive...until I got this message."  
  
"Why didn't he tell me?" The hurt was visible.  
  
"There wasn't time. And he knew that Teeg was watching you. The chances of getting away were already slim, he couldn't take the risk."  
  
"Do you really believe that this can be him?"  
  
Aeryn considered it. "I'd like to say absolutely, but there is no way to be sure. But do you wish to ignore it?"  
  
Senva smiled. "No. I'll do everything I can to find him, even if this is a false lead."  
  
"Then there's only one more person to recruit," Aeryn said, nodding at Senva. "Crais."  
  
***  
  
"Captain Braca, what a pleasant surprise," Crichton muttered as the doors of his quarters slid back.  
  
"What am I doing here, Crichton?" Braca demanded.  
  
"I dunno, I didn't ask you here, you tell me."  
  
"This base, Crichton, the resistance, not your quarters. I am a security risk, your commanding officer is against it, so why," Braca said, pointing his pulse pistol at Crichton, "am I here? Is it solely in aid of whatever battle of wills you and Crais are involved in?"  
  
Crichton paused a second. "Okay Braca, here's the 411. You have skills and experience that I want you using for us. No more, no less. Pissing Crais off is just an added bonus."  
  
"And getting your officers to play games with me is your method of convincing me?"  
  
"First step, Braca. I'm not expecting you to be a one-night conquest. Most of the people we get here are already convinced. You're not, that's why you're a challenge."  
  
"I will never be convinced," Braca said in disgust. "Your entire operation has rejected everything that made the Peacekeepers the supreme military force in the galaxy."  
  
"That's strange, you know," Crichton said, apparently in thought. "We have weapons that outstrip anything you've created...because we pursue any good ideas, no matter who they come from and we let our officers think for themselves. And everyone here...except you...came here by choice. They fight for us because they believe in out cause...not because they were forced to. I think that would make us the supreme force."  
  
"Crichton, I do not intend to stay here and become part of this band of traitors!"  
  
"Well, that's up to you," Crichton said. "You don't have a choice about staying...but you can be an outsider for life or you can get to like it here. It's not that big a lifestyle change. You wanna spend all your off arns reading directives and considering battle strategies - fine. You wanna restrict your interaction with everyone else to recreation - hell, you can do that too. Not everyone marries off, it's not required. But now you've got the choice. To me that sounds like a good position to be in."  
  
Braca just looked disgusted as he turned sharply and marched out. Crichton rolled his eyes at Braca's back. This was obviously going to be even more of a challenge than he'd thought.  
  
***  
  
"Lieutenant, Officer," Crais greeted Aeryn and Senva when they entered his office. "What do you have to report?"  
  
Aeryn silently handed Crais the chip containing her communiqué. Crais activated it, read it and went white.  
  
"We must find the source and ascertain if this is genuine," Senva said.  
  
Aeryn nodded. "And if it is...we must bring him home." 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
"So, let me get this straight," Crichton said, looking at Crais as if he'd grown an extra head. "You want...to take my wife, my *pregnant* wife - and this guy - and go off on a wild goose chase to find Tauvo - who is supposed to be dead?"  
  
"John, it is my decision to go with them. Tauvo contacted me," Aeryn said firmly.  
  
"I didn't even know that you knew him!" Crichton exclaimed, rather less than thrilled with the whole plan.  
  
"I didn't think it would make you feel any better to know that we were friends."  
  
"Just...friends?"  
  
Aeryn groaned inwardly, knowing where this would lead. "We were once recreational partners..."  
  
"What?!" Crais, Crichton and Senva exclaimed in unison. Aeryn's lips thinned in anger.  
  
"...but that was a long time ago and neither of us ever felt anything significant for the other. We became friends long before you ever came to the carrier," Aeryn finished, looking at Senva.  
  
"Why are you telling him?" Crichton asked, still wondering who this guy was.  
  
"Tauvo and he were lovers when Tauvo defected," Aeryn replied.  
  
Crichton stared at her, then at Senva, then at Crais. "Lovers? As in...?"  
  
"Are you aware of any other meaning of the word?" Crais snapped.  
  
"This is the thing you didn't want to tell me," Crichton said, realisation dawning.  
  
"Yes," Crais said stiffly, "but now you know. It does not alter our intentions."  
  
"Aeryn," Crichton said softly, moving closer to speak only to her. "It's too dangerous for you to do this right now."  
  
"I will take every precaution," Aeryn answered, just as softly. "If Tauvo is where he said he would be, it will not take long to find him and Crais will protect me if need be."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but...."  
  
"John...I have to go. If Tauvo is alive we must find him and I must be there."  
  
Crichton dropped his gaze, seeing that Aeryn would not be dissuaded. "Yeah, okay. Just...don't do anything stupid."  
  
"That's your department, John," Aeryn said, giving him a sideways look.  
  
"Yeah," Crichton said quietly, not bothering to argue, "so don't do anything I would do."  
  
Crichton looked up and raised his voice again. "Fine, go. It's insane, but go. Crais, what do we do with you gone?"  
  
"You and Lt. Hals will take over command. If anything unexpected occurs, you will contact me...immediately," Crais answered, stressing the last word.  
  
"Who will be in overall command?"  
  
Crais paused. "You will be."  
  
Crichton smiled.  
  
"But I expect you to consult Lt. Hals at all times and agree with her on a course of action whenever possible. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, Captain," Crichton said slowly.  
  
Crais turned to Aeryn and Senva. "I suggest we do not waste anymore time."  
  
Aeryn turned to Crichton after the others had left the room. Crichton looked back at her.  
  
"Never say goodbye," he said softly, tipping her chin up for a kiss.  
  
***  
  
"Captain Crichton," Laynie said, glancing quickly up from her work.  
  
"Hey," Crichton said, looking at Laynie. "I...wanted to confess something."  
  
"What?" Laynie asked, moving across to another console.  
  
"I know about you and Crais."  
  
Work stopped.  
  
"Don't tell me he actually told someone?" A slight note of bitterness.  
  
"Not exactly. I kind of...tricked him into telling me."  
  
A nod of acceptance.  
  
"And I know about the baby. That Crais did tell me."  
  
"So you know how fahrbot I am."  
  
"You're not the kind of woman I pictured Crais falling for," Crichton said, honestly.  
  
"Falling for?" Laynie laughed cynically. "I hadn't noticed that myself. He wants it both ways and I don't. I should have stopped it long ago...and what am I supposed to do now? Do you think that Bialar is the type of man I thought I would want?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, I do. I want him. I'm pregnant with his child and I want him to acknowledge that. But I want the family life...like you and Aeryn have." She shook her head. "And I don't know if I will ever get that with him."  
  
"I'm trying to talk sense into him," Crichton said, understanding her point of view only too well.  
  
"It will take more than a few words," Laynie said, looking down. "Nothing short of a miracle will do it."  
  
Crichton looked seriously at her. "You might get that."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking back up at him.  
  
"Crais left an arn ago. With Aeryn and this other guy. They're trying to find Tauvo."  
  
"Bialar's brother?" Laynie asked in confusion. "I thought he was dead."  
  
"Yeah well," Crichton answered, "we all did. Aeryn got a message supposedly from him and they've all gone off to find him. I figured...while they're gone...we can keep each other company."  
  
"You're worried about it," Laynie said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm worried. Crais and Aeryn...going off together. That's always meant bad news for me."  
  
"You mean...." Laynie broke off, looking vaguely nauseous at the thought.  
  
Crichton shook his head. "I thought...at one time...he had a thing for her. I don't really believe that he would try anything now. Plus, with you and all.... I'm more worried about Aeryn being hurt...or the baby."  
  
He gave himself a shake, trying to dislodge those thoughts. "What about you? How are you getting on with Bialar junior?"  
  
Laynie smiled slightly. "The child is female," she said softly.  
  
Crichton broke into a grin. "I love girls," he said happily. "Still hoping for a Crichton III this time, though. So, Laynie junior then?"  
  
She bit her lip. "Alyssa."  
  
"Cute name. Family?"  
  
"My mother."  
  
"You feeling okay?"  
  
She gave a wry smile. "Terrible, but at least now I can sympathise with my pregnant patients better. I always thought they were exaggerating."  
  
Crichton feigned horror. "You mean Aeryn's actually serious when she says she'll cut off my mivonks if this happens a third time?"  
  
"Well, I couldn't guarantee it," Laynie answered, managing a chuckle. "But I wouldn't advise taking the risk."  
  
***  
  
Aeryn looked down, not sure how to answer Crais' question. "My...most enduring memory of your brother...is of one night in the officer's lounge. Our unit had just returned from a long battle and we were all celebrating. Tauvo was...thoroughly drunk," she said, shooting a sideways glance at Crais, "and singing a very loud version of the fifteenth battle march...with slightly altered words."  
  
Crais searched his memory for the lyrics of this particular song, ran them through his head and suppressed a chuckle.  
  
"He was never the most serious of Peacekeepers," Aeryn said. "I think...that maybe I gravitated towards him because he had the memories of a family life that I wanted...with some part of myself. Although I did not always value him as much as I should have."  
  
"He...must have trusted you with his life," Crais said, looking over at her.  
  
Aeryn pursed her lips, considering this. "He...was always willing to take risks," she answered. "That must be the only thing you had in common. In all other ways, he was...your opposite."  
  
"Perhaps if we had never been conscripted, we would not have been so different," Crais said slowly.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Crais paused. "I...am having trouble accepting...what Officer Senva has told me."  
  
"I had no idea until Tauvo told me," Aeryn replied honestly, "and that was only three weekens before he was forced to defect. I...knew that they were friends, but.... I think Tauvo was more cautious in that than in any other part of his life...because he knew what would happen to you if it was found out."  
  
"He did more for me than I did for him," Crais said quietly, the old feelings of guilt rising up again.  
  
"That's funny," Aeryn said, biting her lip. "He always thought you did too much. He never cared to be anything more than one of us."  
  
"I became so...obsessed with rising through the ranks. I told myself that I was doing it to protect him. But, in doing that, I lost touch with who he really was."  
  
"It was a long time ago, Crais, we've all made mistakes. Tauvo never had any doubt that you cared for him," Aeryn said, looking seriously at him. "It was the one thing I always envied about him."  
  
Crais was silent. Aeryn pulled herself to her feet, standing for a moment looking out of Talyn's viewscreen. She gently placed a hand on Crais' shoulder. He looked back at her, then at her hand and the bonding tattoo on the back of it and then back to the viewscreen.  
  
"Whether or not we find him, Crais," Aeryn said softly. "You had family who loved you. That is something I have always wanted."  
  
Her boot heels clicked on the floor as she left the room, leaving Crais alone with his thoughts.  
  
***  
  
Crichton had been in command exactly three arns and eight hundred microts when unexpected event number one occurred.  
  
"Drunk and disorderly?" he repeated. Then, in a tone of complete and utter disbelief, "*Braca*?"  
  
Then, moving past disbelief into horrified shock. "He tried to *what*?!"  
  
"He held a pulse pistol to his head and threatened to take his own life, sir. Fortunately, he didn't have the motor skills to operate it."  
  
Crichton leant back in his chair, his face white. "Jesus Maxwell Christ," he said weakly. "Where is he now?"  
  
"The holding cells on tier three, sir."  
  
Crichton stared in space, unable to believe what he was hearing. He knew Braca was refusing to settle, but he'd never thought.... This had to be some kind of sick joke.  
  
"I'll...go down there and speak to him," he said, trying to maintain some kind of composure.  
  
Lt. Hals nodded quickly and left, leaving Crichton feeling more unsettled than he had in a long time.  
  
***  
  
"The chances of finding him on a planet of this size are minuscule," Crais said as they entered the space dock.  
  
"The co-ordinates I received ended with a sequence of numbers not related to the planet's position. I believe that they are a clue. If I can find a map of this planet, I may be able to at least determine which area we should begin looking in," Aeryn replied.  
  
Crais stopped walking. "You did not mention this before."  
  
"I'm mentioning it now, Crais."  
  
It was such a Crichton-like statement that Crais' fists clenched involuntarily. "Where do you intend to locate a map?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice.  
  
"I'd imagine that we can acquire one for a small amount of currency. Many travellers must come through here. It is a pleasure planet, after all."  
  
Crais spun on his heel, leaving Aeryn and Senva to follow him. He headed to the one place long experience had taught him was always the font of knowledge in these places.  
  
The bar.  
  
***  
  
Crichton sat down quietly against the wall opposite Braca's cell as soon as the officers guarding him had gone. He was struck by the feeling of deja vu, but last time he had sat outside Crais' cell and opened his heart to the man who had pursued him relentlessly for a cycle. This was different. He'd brought Braca here, he'd made himself responsible for him. Which meant that this was his fault. Damn, he hated it when he screwed up.  
  
Braca had obviously moved past the loud stage of being drunk and had entered the melancholy stage. He was sitting on the floor, with his back to Crichton. Crichton wasn't even sure if he knew that he had company.  
  
"Why d'you do it?" he asked simply.  
  
"I will not be a traitor. I am a Peacekeeper for life," Braca said, his voice flat and expressionless. He didn't turn round.  
  
"So you're gonna kill yourself instead?" Crichton asked, his eyes boring holes in Braca's back.  
  
"It is better than to live to become contaminated like you."  
  
Crichton thumped his fist down on the floor, sitting up straight. "Goddammit Braca! Will you just stop acting like you can't think for yourself?! You served Scorpius for over two cycles and survived, that's gotta mean that there's a brain under that thick skull. Will you start using it and realise that I haven't brought you into hell?"  
  
"I will not stay here!" Braca exclaimed, now turning to face Crichton and letting the expression return to his voice. "You let me go Crichton or I will do this again!"  
  
"You're drunk, Braca," Crichton said matter-of-factly. "And I'm guessing that you've never been drunk before. Because career officers don't do that, do they?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Which means that you've already done one new thing...and that you really don't know how to handle your drink. Besides, here's the deal: I can't let you go, you know too much already. If you want to kill yourself, that's fine, but I'm not going to let you do it under my command. You're going to be staying here, under twenty-six arn suicide watch and I'm going to get someone to talk to you until you realise just how frelling stupid you're being."  
  
No answer.  
  
"At least you remember how to take orders."  
  
***  
  
"I've established his rough location. It's a city about four-hundred metras away. We should investigate transport," Aeryn said, moving back to join Crais and Senva.  
  
"Excellent, Lieutenant," Crais said, rising to join her. "Let us hope...that the rest of the journey will be as easily managed."  
  
***  
  
"Captain...Doctor Plasa is suggesting anti-depressants. What is your opinion?"  
  
Crichton shook his head. "He's not depressed," he said, definitely. "He's just stubborn. He doesn't need drugs, he needs a good kick up the eema."  
  
Laynie raised an eyebrow. "Your methods are a little unorthodox, but I do agree with your assessment. He doesn't require medical treatment."  
  
"He just...I didn't think how hard it would be to get him to stop thinking like a Peacekeeper," Crichton said, leaning on his elbow. "I mean, I guess Aeryn took time but she had the thing with her mother and she wasn't a senior officer. Braca...he can't start thinking like a renegade."  
  
"He's not one," Laynie pointed out, sympathetically. "He didn't choose to leave, that marks him out from everyone else here."  
  
"It's like releasing an animal who's been in captivity back into the wild and finding that it doesn't have the skills to survive," Crichton said, running a hand over his forehead.  
  
"Except that he can be taught those skills," Laynie answered. "With time...and patience...and support."  
  
"I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right decision."  
  
"Why *did* you bring him here?" Laynie asked. "I've never understood it."  
  
"My neither," Crichton said, taking a deep breath. "I just...he can be a snivelling little weasel, but I think there's potential. He could be useful to us, if he can just shake himself up a bit. I mean, second-in- command is a hazardous position, especially with Scorpius. He can think ahead, plan, adapt to new commanders. If he can just re-apply those skills here.... I was mad, basically."  
  
Laynie gave a wry smile. "That makes two of us."  
  
***  
  
"Aeryn, I suppose you now have a plan for locating Tauvo in this city," Crais said.  
  
"If I know Tauvo - and if it is him - he'll have given us a clue. Something that only Aeryn would recognise," Senva added, squinting in the bright light.  
  
"Agreed," Aeryn said, sitting down on a nearby wall. "The question is, what?"  
  
"We should find accommodation first," Crais pointed out. "We may be here for some time."  
  
Aeryn paused a moment. "Senva, do you still have the list we were given at the space port?"  
  
Senva produced it from his pack after a brief search. Aeryn immediately began scanning it, apparently looking for something.  
  
"Aeryn?" Crais said, then tried again when he got no response. "Aeryn, what are you looking for?"  
  
Aeryn ignored him, then stopped and looked up. "That," she said, her finger indicating a name on the list.  
  
Crais and Senva looked. "Killian Towers," Crais read. "Would you care to explain?"  
  
"Tauvo's wingmate when I met him was named Killia. That's where he is."  
  
"I am beginning to think that he is having fun at our expense," Crais commented dryly.  
  
Senva smiled for possibly the first time in Crais' presence. "That sounds like Tauvo."  
  
***  
  
Unexpected event two happened precisely one solar day and five arns after unexpected event one.  
  
"What?" Crichton asked, staring at Captain Lisac, head of their secondary base, on the screen in front of him.  
  
"We have a civilian here who is asking to be put in contact with Captain Crais."  
  
"They can't, he's not here, why in all hezmana has a civilian tried to track down the resistance?"  
  
"She doesn't seem that interested in the resistance, Captain," Lisac answered formally. "Only in Captain Crais."  
  
Crichton raised an eyebrow. "Old girlfriend?" he asked.  
  
"No."  
  
Damn, Lisac had no sense of humour.  
  
"She claims to be his mother."  
  
***  
  
"We'd like a room," Aeryn told the clerk.  
  
The clerk looked up, then from Aeryn to Crais to Senva. "Just the one?" he asked, doing a creditable impression of Basil Fawlty. "For all three of you?"  
  
"A large room," Aeryn said flatly, not prepared to argue. Getting separated was the last thing they needed. "And we are searching for someone we believe is staying here. A Tauvo Crais."  
  
"We have no one by that name here at present," was the less-than- encouraging response.  
  
"Are you certain?"  
  
"Quite certain, madam. I have two rooms available. Number thirty-three with private facilities, or number fifteen without."  
  
Aeryn paused. "Number fifteen," she said.  
  
"Very well, madam," the clerk said, with no perceptible pause. "Here is your key. Top of the stairs on your right."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"This better be another clue," Senva muttered.  
  
They quickly ascended the staircase and came to a halt outside room fifteen. Aeryn, showing the first signs of apprehension, put her key in the lock and opened the door. The three of them stepped inside, all unconsciously holding their breath.  
  
The room was large and airy, with huge bay windows at the far end and a window seat. Sitting on the window seat, legs crossed, was a man. The three of them stood side by side and stared at him.  
  
He smiled. "Hello," Tauvo said simply. "It's nice to see you all again."  
  
***  
  
Crichton jaw was now hovering approximately three denches above the floor.  
  
"You're Crais' *mother*?" he asked, staring at the woman standing in front of him. He'd had Captain Lisac do DNA tests, which had confirmed her identity already, but frell....  
  
"Yes, I am Sayla Crais," she replied calmly.  
  
Crichton blinked a couple of times and surreptitiously pinched himself on the leg. She didn't disappear, so it seemed safe to conclude that he wasn't hallucinating.  
  
"You don't look old enough to have a son Crais' age," he said, still stunned. It wasn't flattery, just honest fact. She almost looked younger than Crais, for frell's sake!  
  
"I was only sixteen cycles when he was born," she said, smiling.  
  
She was quite tall, with very long blond hair in a complicated braid down her back. Her eyes were blue. She looked absolutely nothing like Crais.  
  
Crichton tried to gather himself. "You...don't look much like him," he said.  
  
"He and Tauvo both took after their father."  
  
Of course, he knew that, he'd seen it in Maldis' castle all those cycles ago.  
  
"Where is my son?" she asked, not beating about the bush anymore.  
  
"He's not here just now, he's...on a mission," Crichton said, deciding that it might be best not to reveal what they were looking for.  
  
"When will he return?"  
  
"A weeken, maybe two. Hopefully sooner rather than later since my wife is with him," Crichton answered.  
  
"Your wife?" An eyebrow was raised.  
  
"She is involved with the project," Crichton said, his tone warning her not to hint at any more.  
  
"Of course. And will you allow me to wait here?" Sayla said, smoothly changing the subject.  
  
"I'll assign you some quarters," Crichton said, still not quite sure that this was for real.  
  
"Thank you," Sayla answered, giving him a thoroughly winning smile.  
  
"You're welcome," Crichton replied quickly.  
  
As they walked down the corridor he began to chant to himself. Crais' mother. Crais' mother. Mother. Mother.  
  
***  
  
Crais, Aeryn and Senva stood, each suddenly utterly unsure of what to do. Tauvo unfolded his long legs and stood up, moving across the room in a few strides and coming to stand in front of the group.  
  
"Bialar, Aeryn, Jian," he said, meeting each pair of eyes in turn. "Having taken the trouble to find me, I would have expected that you would intend to talk to me."  
  
In the end, it was Senva who broke the stale mate first, moving forward the few denches necessary to wrap Tauvo in his embrace. Tauvo held him tightly, closing his eyes and murmuring something that both Crais and Aeryn tried very hard not to hear. After a few microts, Tauvo self-consciously broke the embrace and greeted Aeryn and Crais in kind. Aeryn returned his hug warmly, Crais a little awkwardly, but the feeling was there.  
  
"Well," Tauvo said finally. "Where should I begin?"  
  
"Where have you been for the last thirteen cycles?" Crais asked, breaking his silence. "Why did you not contact me?"  
  
"Once I defected I was forced to flee as deep into the uncharted territories as I could," Tauvo said, meeting his brother's eyes. "I only discovered a few monens ago that you were no longer a Peacekeeper and leading the resistance. When you were, I could not have risked making contact and you know that."  
  
"Why did you contact Lt. Sun if you knew that I was in command?" Crais demanded.  
  
Tauvo smiled. "Lieutenant? Congratulations," he said warmly to Aeryn. "I contacted Aeryn because she was the only one who knew I had defected. Only she would have believed that my message could be genuine."  
  
"What have you been doing all this time?" Aeryn asked, restating Crais' earlier question.  
  
"Whatever I had to do. Some things that I'm proud of, some that I'm not. Working to earn my keep wherever I was, manual labour for the most part."  
  
That did explain the changes in his physique, Crais decided. Tauvo had never been lacking in muscles, but he'd bulked up quite a bit. He looked fit and healthy, unlike many of the defectors Crais had encountered whilst working for the resistance.  
  
"What do you intend to do now?" Crais asked, bluntly.  
  
"I was hoping that you might have a job for me," Tauvo said, regarding him thoughtfully. "I still know how to fly and I haven't forgotten everything I learnt as a Peacekeeper. I want to be of use to the resistance...and I'd like to be with my family again."  
  
Crais cleared his throat. "I am...certain that I can find a suitable position for you," he said. "We can leave immediately."  
  
Tauvo shook his head. "If I know you at all brother, you will have been working far too hard. I'll show you around the city tomorrow and we can catch up on some of the last thirteen cycles. One day off won't kill you."  
  
Crais was experiencing the strangest feeling of deja vu. Funny, he didn't remember his brother being quite so much like Crichton.  
  
"Very well," he agreed. "Perhaps we can begin now."  
  
Tauvo and Aeryn exchanged glances. "I think maybe we should explore on our own," Aeryn said.  
  
"Jian and I have a few things to talk about," Tauvo agreed.  
  
Aeryn opened the door and propelled Crais out with her. "I think perhaps we should hire a second room," she said, when the door had closed.  
  
"Then we should inform them of that decision."  
  
"Somehow," Aeryn said quickly. "I don't think they'll notice."  
  
***  
  
And then there was unexpected event number three.  
  
Laynie Taan had her quarters right next to the medilab. It was her choice, she liked to be as close as possible. Her attitude to her work might not be obsessive in the same way Crais' was, but she knew herself to be a doctor twenty-six arns a day regardless of whether she was on duty or not. Medicine had always been her life, through her training, through her junior practice, through the miserable twenty cycles she had spent with the Peacekeepers, through the now twelve cycles she had used her skills for the resistance. If there was a medical emergency, she could be there almost immediately.  
  
It was the early hours of the morning when she awoke from a nightmare about someone trying to drill a hole through her stomach only to realise that the pain was real. She curled into a foetal position as the gut-wrenching cramps almost made her black out. Just managing to reach her comms on her bedside table, she hit them.  
  
"Doctor Kelna," she gasped into them. Then, as a desperate afterthought, "Captain Crichton, I...need your help. In my quarters. Now."  
  
She cried out as another wave of pain hit. "Help me," she whispered. "Please help me." 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
In cycles to come, John Crichton looked back on that night as one of the few times in his life that he'd ever believed there could be a God. If he'd been asleep when the call had come, he probably would have slept the night through - and it might have been too late. But he'd been awake, for no particular reason, and that had allowed him to yank on his clothes and get to Laynie in time, possibly breaking the Olympic sprinting record en route.  
  
So it came to pass that, two arns after she'd made her call for help, he was sitting in the medilab watching her sleep. A dozen different monitors beeped steadily, reassuring him that she and her baby were fine. At least for now.  
  
This, he realised now, was why Captain Marvio - the original leader of the resistance - had left instructions that Crichton would take over Crais' old role as second-in-command. Crais felt responsible for the success of the resistance, Crichton felt responsible for the people who made up that organisation. Together they really were stronger, the perfect command team.  
  
Laynie and her child lying here, Braca locked in a holding cell, Crais' mother resting in her quarters, Crichton's own daughter asleep in her bed and every other person who lived on this base were under his command tonight. For the first time, Crais' obsession with his work began to make sense.  
  
The Captain's chair is a lonely place.  
  
***  
  
"Talyn is amazing," Tauvo said, smiling as he ran his hand down a bulkhead.  
  
"Being joined to him was...beyond description," Aeryn replied, glancing up from her work.  
  
Tauvo looked over at her, a questioning look in his eyes. "You were joined with Talyn?"  
  
"Briefly," Aeryn replied. "Crais was having trouble with Talyn, it seemed wise to share his command with someone else."  
  
"Why didn't you keep the link?"  
  
Aeryn glanced at him. "There were several reasons. It was causing a lot of friction between Crais and John."  
  
"Jealous?"  
  
"Unfortunately, John has a tendency to be. Especially of your brother," Aeryn replied, moving to another console.  
  
"Why?" Tauvo asked, then his eyes widened. "Wait a minute. You and my brother didn't...."  
  
"No, as I explained to John plenty of times, but I think he suspected otherwise. However," Aeryn said, giving Tauvo a firm glance, "that has now been resolved and I do not want to bring up old arguments again."  
  
"Of course not," Tauvo said, trying to find another subject. "Tell me about your husband. My brother seemed only willing to answer with a grunt."  
  
Aeryn suppressed a smile. "John is...unique. Often strange, prone to bizarre schemes that work against all the odds and jokes that nobody understands except him."  
  
"And yet you love him still."  
  
Aeryn nodded, holding up her hand with the bonding tattoo, casting an eye over it once again. "Which is fortunate," she said, "because I have him for life."  
  
"I still can't quite believe that you married a non-Sebacean. I wasn't sure if you'd manage to shake off all that dren."  
  
Aeryn raised an eyebrow at Tauvo's words. He smiled. "Most of the planets I've been on weren't Sebacean - I didn't want to risk running into Peacekeeper patrols - so I had to forget about irreversible contamination fast if I wanted to stay alive."  
  
"John has helped me to...shake off that dren," Aeryn replied, amused at his choice of words. "The fact that we have one child and another on the way should prove that."  
  
"Congratulations," Tauvo said warmly, his eyes lighting up. "And you're right, it proves a lot."  
  
He paused a moment, trying to decide whether or not to ask his next question. "What about my brother? He has not mentioned anyone similar in his life, is there someone?"  
  
"Not as far as I know," Aeryn answered. "I suggest you ask John when we return."  
  
"You think my brother would confide in your husband?" Tauvo asked, surprised.  
  
"No," Aeryn said, smiling slightly. "Crais would not confide in anyone. I think John would find out anyway."  
  
Tauvo smiled again. "I think I'm going to like him."  
  
***  
  
"Report, Lieutenant," Crais said, without preamble, as he stepped out of the transport pod and back onto his base, where Lt. Hals was waiting for them.  
  
"Sir," Lt. Hals replied, a little awkwardly. "Captain Crichton has asked that I let him report to you."  
  
"I am ordering otherwise."  
  
"Yes, sir, but Captain Crichton was most insistent and he is still formally in command until you meet him and...." Lt. Hals explained, trying to remain loyal to both her Captains and finding it extremely difficult.  
  
"What reason has he given for this order?" Crais asked, suspicion growing.  
  
"There are several matters that Captain Crichton feels need to be explained in detail...and in private."  
  
"What has he done?" Crais asked, the tension in his face and shoulders growing by the microt.  
  
"Nothing, sir," Lt. Hals said quickly. "There has been minimal external activity in your absence. These are...internal matters."  
  
"Then tell me who they concern."  
  
"Sir, as I said, Captain Crichton...."  
  
"That is a direct order, Lieutenant," Crais snapped, any relaxation he'd achieved over the last few days deserting him completely.  
  
"Yes, sir," Lt. Hals said uncomfortably, "of course. Captain...Braca has been put into protective custody, Dr Taan has been relieved of duty indefinitely and...you have a visitor, sir."  
  
"Relieved of duty? On what grounds?" Crais demanded immediately, assigning the other concerns to a later time.  
  
"Medical, sir," Lt. Hals replied, blissfully unaware of why her Captain was this concerned. "There was reason to believe that her work was posing a danger to the life of her unborn child."  
  
Crais had gone a greenish grey colour. "Where is L...Dr Taan?"  
  
"At the... 'picnic', sir."  
  
" 'Picnic', Lieutenant?" Crais replied, unfamiliar with this particular word.  
  
"Yes, sir, Captain Crichton...."  
  
Crais closed his eyes. "Enough," he said. "Where is this 'picnic' being held?"  
  
"The lake, sir."  
  
"Very well," Crais said slowly, taking a deep breath. "I shall seek further explanation...from him. Thank you, Lieutenant."  
  
He marched out of the docking bay. Aeryn, Tauvo and Senva trailed behind him.  
  
"I'm getting the distinct impression that they don't get on too well," Tauvo whispered to Aeryn.  
  
"John seems to take great delight in provoking Crais," Aeryn whispered back. "This is very normal behaviour. I think Crais would have been surprised if John hadn't done something he disapproved of in his absence."  
  
"If you say so," Tauvo murmured, as they quickened their pace to keep up with Crais. "But I'm glad it isn't me who put that scowl on his face."  
  
***  
  
It wasn't the first time Crichton had completely upset Crais' routine with one of his schemes, but Crais had never seen what seemed to be half the resistance staff spread out in the base's gardens, lazing on blankets and eating large amounts of food. It was a sight completely alien to him - it had 'Crichton' stamped all over it.  
  
It didn't take more than a quick sweep of the tableau to locate his infuriating second-in-command. He was right by the edge of the lake, accompanied by Laynie and another woman he didn't recognise. Laynie was out of uniform and wearing a dress, she looked beautiful and Crais swallowed hard as he took in the sight, and Crichton...Crichton appeared to be cavorting around in his underwear. He also looked...well...wet.  
  
"That's him?" Tauvo mouthed to Aeryn, behind Crais' back, pointing unobtrusively to Crichton.  
  
"I'm afraid so," Aeryn mouthed back, but her eyes were smiling.  
  
Crichton spotted them and his face lit up. "Honey, you're back! Welcome home." He hurried towards them, his arms wide. Crais stiffened head to toe and didn't relax until Crichton wrapped Aeryn in his arms. With Crichton, you never knew.  
  
"Captain Crichton," he said. "I am now in command again. I expect a full report on everything that has occurred in my absence immediately...and an explanation as to why you are soaking wet and parading around clad only in your underwear!"  
  
Crichton pulled away from Aeryn and turned to Crais, grinning happily. "I missed you too, Crais," he replied. "And it's not my underwear, it's a bathing suit. I've been swimming in the lake. It's a picnic, I decided we all needed a little fun."  
  
"Fun?" Crais echoed in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, fun," Crichton said, adopting his 'senior professor' look. "I'll explain it to you later." He turned to Tauvo, who was standing quietly behind Crais. "I guess you're the guy I nearly got killed because of."  
  
"Bialar has...explained what happened," Tauvo said, shifting awkwardly. "I'm very sorry for...everything."  
  
"Because of you, I met Aeryn. That's compensation enough," Crichton said, looking far more cheerful than anyone had expected. "I'm John Crichton, it's my job to make Crais' life difficult."  
  
Tauvo grinned. "You seem to be very good at it."  
  
"The finest I have ever encountered," Crais said darkly, narrowing his eyes at Crichton.  
  
The corners of Crichton's mouth twitched upwards. "Come and sit down. I think there's still some food left."  
  
The four travellers slowly approached Crichton's blanket. Crais' eyes immediately locked on Laynie. There was so much he wanted to ask, but he didn't feel he could discuss it here. She looked away and Crais sighed.  
  
"Tauvo," he said. "In addition to Crichton, this is Dr Laynie Taan - the head of my medical staff - and...I'm afraid I don't know who you are," he said politely when his gaze fell on the woman sitting next to Crichton.  
  
"Look a little closer, Crais," Crichton said, with that irritating expression he always got when he knew something Crais didn't.  
  
"I wouldn't expect them to recognise me, I've changed a lot over the cycles," Sayla said quickly. She paused, for the first time looking slightly uncertain. "I am...Sayla Crais."  
  
Crichton had expected a violent reaction. What he hadn't expected was for the two Crais brothers to react so completely differently. Tauvo's eyes lit up like Christmas tree lights and his choked up "Mother?" actually brought a lump to Crichton's throat. Crais' eyes, already dark, narrowed immediately. What was visible was a mixture of hate and disgust.  
  
"Crichton, how could you allow this...woman...here?" he asked, forcing the words out. His barely controlled fury was evident.  
  
"Crais, she's your mother," was all Crichton could say. He was almost scared by Crais' reaction.  
  
"She is not my mother," Crais said through clenched teeth. "My mother's name was Kali. This...creature...does not deserve that title."  
  
"Bialar, how can you say that?" Tauvo demanded. "She is our mother and she's...she's back."  
  
"She ceased to be my mother the day she abandoned both of us and our father without even attempting an explanation!" Crais exclaimed, his eyes shooting venom at Sayla. "You may choose to forget that...but I will not!"  
  
He turned sharply on his heel and marched away. The others stared after him in shock. Laynie shifted uncomfortably.  
  
Crichton turned back to Sayla. "You couldn't have given me a little advanced warning? I thought he'd be glad to see you!"  
  
"I should have done, I didn't expect our meeting to be in public like this," Sayla answered, looking troubled. She got to her feet and approached the man who'd once been her younger son. "Tauvo, what about you?" she asked cautiously.  
  
In a microt she was wrapped in a powerful hug that almost cut off her air supply. She wrapped her arms as far as they would go around his broad chest and hugged him back. "Oh my son," she said, not knowing what to say, "...you've grown."  
  
Tauvo looked back at her, drinking in the sight, his eyes glowing. "Well...I was only two cycles when...when I last saw you."  
  
"I want to explain about that," Sayla replied, awkwardly. "Or, at least...I want to try. But...this isn't really the place."  
  
Tauvo wiped a tear from his eye. "I'd suggest my quarters...but I don't have any yet."  
  
"We'll go to mine."  
  
"Well," Crichton said when they were gone, "this isn't quite how I meant it to go."  
  
"I need to speak to Bialar," Laynie said abruptly, breaking her silence.  
  
"I thought you didn't want to talk to him?" Crichton said, still reeling a little from the shock of Crais' reaction.  
  
"That was before," she said, climbing to her feet.  
  
"Why wouldn't she want to speak to Crais? And why does she want to see him now?" Aeryn asked in confusion, when Laynie had left them too.  
  
"Don't ask," Crichton replied, just as Aeryn's eyes widened in realisation.  
  
"He's the father!" Aeryn exclaimed. Senva stared at her, then at Crichton, waiting for his answer.  
  
"It's not my business," Crichton tried to say.  
  
"Oh frell," Aeryn said, shaking her head. "Now I understand what he was brooding about while we were on Talyn."  
  
"Crais brooding? Gee, how often does that happen?" Crichton remarked sarcastically.  
  
"Crais a father? How often does *that* happen?" Aeryn countered.  
  
"He's still trying to pretend it hasn't," Crichton replied, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his head in his hands. "I never thought I'd have to say this, but Crais is living in a dream world. And the sooner he faces reality the better."  
  
***  
  
Crais wasn't used to people following him when he stalked out of places - except when it was Crichton trying to tell him he was being ridiculous because he was acting like the ex-Peacekeeper Captain he was, instead of the Human Crichton seemed to think he should be. Having a woman follow him - other than one who was obliged to because his absence made it impossible to do her job - was almost a new experience, made better because that woman happened to be one he actually wanted to spend time with.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Laynie asked, sitting down on the end of his bed. Crais couldn't help noticing that her stomach was just beginning to swell. He was still grappling with the idea that it was his child growing inside her.  
  
"No."  
  
"I didn't think so," Laynie said agreeably. She waited a few microts. "How about now?"  
  
Crais tried not to smile, for some reason he found it impossible to stay angry around her. "No."  
  
"Well I'm going to stay here until you do, so in the interests of saving time...."  
  
"What do you care to know?" Crais asked, sitting down beside her and meeting her eyes.  
  
"Did she really abandon you?" Laynie said softly, her eyes glowing in the dim light.  
  
Crais cleared his throat. "She...left us all."s he?"  
  
"As a child he insisted that she would return...that there had been a mistake...and would not listen when I tried to convince him of the truth. When we were conscripted...he ceased to speak of it, but it seems obvious now that he has never challenged that view."  
  
"And it seems that he's been proved right," Laynie observed, biting her lip.  
  
Crais shook his head vehemently. "I do not trust her."  
  
"You astound me," Laynie answered, trying to hold back a grin and failing.  
  
"She has no business trying to re-enter our lives after all this time and the way she has behaved," Crais stated emphatically.  
  
"Maybe she regrets what she did."  
  
"Regrets do not undo what was done," Crais said bitterly.  
  
"Don't you believe that people can change?" Laynie asked quietly.  
  
"When did you begin to take responsibility for my happiness?" Crais asked, stopping this line of questioning.  
  
Laynie paused. "We're friends. Or at least we were before...things got complicated. You may find this hard to believe, but I care about you. And I was never that good at switching off affection just because it isn't returned."  
  
"I have never said that I did not care for you," Crais said, startled by her choice of words.  
  
"I know," Laynie replied, an ironic smile coming to her lips. "You care about me. You just don't want to be the father of my child, or have a real relationship, or even acknowledge the fact that we've been sleeping together for a cycle."  
  
"Why have you been relieved of duty?" Crais asked abruptly, not prepared to face that discussion.  
  
Laynie looked away and took a deep breath. "Because I started having stomach cramps one night while you were away. We thought I would lose the baby."  
  
"But you did not?"  
  
"No," she said, unconsciously rubbing a hand over her stomach, "but we're not sure why it happened or what the chances are of it happening again. I mean...everything looks fine, I've seen the scans and the test results and there's no obvious cause for concern. But that just makes it harder to work out what happened. Hence why Captain Crichton relieved me of duty. So," Laynie continued, smiling slightly, "I get to spend the next four monens doing absolutely nothing. Which leaves me lots of free time to spend interfering in your life."  
  
"I prefer it to be you rather than Crichton," Crais said softly.  
  
"Goodness. What a compliment," Laynie replied dryly. She smiled to show she didn't mean it. "But I appreciate the attempt."  
  
"Laynie...it is my concerns about the responsibilities of my position that have dictated my actions, not...."  
  
"Yes, I know. But I have a responsible position and I believe I can combine the two, and Captain Crichton already does. Being head of the resistance makes it more difficult, but I think it can be done. And I hope you'll change your mind."  
  
"If I don't?"  
  
"Then I will raise her," Laynie replied, getting up. "We'll be fine on our own."  
  
It wasn't until after she had gone that Crais found himself thinking, 'her?'.  
  
***  
  
"You already know that I was very young when I married your father," Sayla began, as Tauvo settled himself down and began to listen attentively, "and that he...was much older than I was. What you do not know is that...it was not my choice to marry him."  
  
Tauvo bowed his head at that.  
  
"My family did not come from the community you were born in, we were not farmers. When we arrived, my father was very keen to be accepted. Your father was very influential in the village...so when he showed an interest in me, my father forced me to accept him."  
  
Sayla moved quietly over to sit beside Tauvo. "Your father was in no way a bad husband," she said quietly. "On the contrary, he was a fine man and he tried to make me happy. I know my father never allowed him to know of my opposition to the match until it was made irrevocably. But...I was miserable. I...loved both you and Bialar dearly. Despite what you may have been told I did not dislike being a mother...you were the most important thing in my life. I was simply in a marriage I did not want, with a man I was not suited to. I was weak. I grew so depressed that I was desperate to end it. I thought it would be better for you if I left than if I were to take my own life."  
  
"I wish you hadn't left us," Tauvo said quietly, lifting his head and making no effort to hide the tears trickling down his cheeks. "I missed you. Even after we were conscripted I missed you. I always thought you'd come back."  
  
"I always wanted to, I wanted to take you with me," Sayla whispered, cradling him in her arms as her own tears started. "But I was too afraid that I wouldn't be able to support you, that you'd be hurt because I'd been so selfish...I couldn't take you away from your home knowing that you would be well looked after there...and safe."  
  
"We weren't safe," Tauvo said quietly. "Four cycles later the Peacekeepers conscripted us."  
  
"If I had known, I would have acted differently," Sayla replied, equally softly. "Decisions seem so much simpler when you look back on them, you forget how hard they were at the time."  
  
"Bialar never forgave you for leaving. He made Aunt Kali his mother and tried to make me do the same. I don't know if he will accept you," Tauvo told her, not wanting to say it, but knowing it needed to be said.  
  
"Will he make me leave, knowing that you want me here?" Sayla asked, unsure of the answer she would get.  
  
"He could," Tauvo said honestly, "but I hope he will not, for my sake."  
  
"And if he does?"  
  
Tauvo looked stricken. "Mother...I can't leave. Bialar is here, I will have a place in the resistance and my...partner...is here."  
  
Sayla looked delighted. "I hoped you would have a woman in your life," she said happily.  
  
Tauvo pulled at his jacket collar. "Um, yes...the thing is...I don't."  
  
"But you said.... Oh."  
  
"Are you angry, disgusted, shocked, all three?" Tauvo asked nervously, hating the thought that his mother might not be able to accept it.  
  
"I am a little...taken aback," Sayla said, choosing her words carefully. "It will take a little time to...adjust to, but it changes nothing. You're my son, you'll have to try a lot harder if you want me to stop loving you. I don't think it's even possible."  
  
She smiled when Tauvo wrapped her in a bear hug. Oh, it felt good to be back where she belonged.  
  
***  
  
Crichton's final decision regarding Braca's predicament had been simple. He needed something to do. It had been many cycles since Braca had considered himself a soldier, he'd grown used to being what Crichton had incomprehensibly termed 'Deputy Manager Dry' and getting back into full training had given his body more of a shock than he'd expected. But, to his surprise, he found that a part of him liked doing something other than give and carry out orders again.  
  
It had been during one of the sessions that Aeryn instructed (and usually joined in with, not being able to was one of the things she liked least about being pregnant) that Braca had concluded that he had never been an especially good soldier. He hated to admit it, but hand-to-hand combat was not his strongest suit. However, during the same session Braca discovered that he could see exactly what everyone else was doing wrong, even if he couldn't do any better himself. Which, via some persuasion on the part of Lt. Sun and Captain Crichton - which had culminated in a very loud argument between Crichton and Crais during which, it was rumoured, Crichton had called the Commander-In-Chief of the entire resistance forces a stubborn, thick-headed son of a bitch - had resulted in him being appointed one of the base's training instructors.  
  
And then there was Lt. Esaan, another instructor, whom Braca had been recreating with for a monen before it occurred to him that no Peacekeeper should form a connection for that long.  
  
So it came to pass that, roughly four monens after the day he'd held a pulse pistol to his head, ex-Peacekeeper Captain Alasis Braca suddenly stopped in the middle of explaining the correct form of a Lindan attack and realised that he'd become a traitor after all.  
  
Odd that he didn't mind that much.  
  
***  
  
Hell froze over that night. Crichton didn't need to flip to the weather channel to know that. There was no other explanation.  
  
"You know," Crichton said quietly, tearing his eyes from the tiny bundle in his arms to glance briefly up at Crais, "...I wish I could go back in time and tell the me I was when we first met that, fourteen cycles after you swore to kill me, we'd be sitting here side-by-side tonight."  
  
Crais didn't say anything, but something in his eyes suggested that, for once, he understood what Crichton meant.  
  
"We're gonna call her Shani," Crichton said, sensing that Crais wasn't going to talk. "Aeryn thought this one should have a Sebacean name. I like it. Shani Sun, to go with Elizabeth Crichton. My girls." He grinned down at his new daughter. "What are you calling yours?"  
  
Crais was still looking at the small scrap of life in his arms like she was a mirage. In fact this whole experience - sitting next to Crichton on an obliging medibed, them both holding new-born daughters - felt surreal. "Laynie...wants to call her Alyssa," he said quietly.  
  
"Right, she told me that," Crichton replied, nodding in remembrance. "I think it suits her."  
  
Crais studied his daughter. Her looks at least were a combination of both her parents, she had his black curls and her mother's green eyes. She was beautiful...and it did suit her.  
  
"I was separated from my family for years," he said suddenly, to Crichton's surprise. "And I let my career drive me away from my brother, to the point where I knew almost nothing about who he really was. Outside the Peacekeepers, I had another chance...and I have done the same thing again."  
  
Crichton, not sure whether Crais required an answer, kept quiet for maybe the first time in his life.  
  
"My...mother...is here. My brother is here. This is my daughter...and in that room," Crais said, looking towards the door to the recovery room, "is the woman...I want for my wife."  
  
Crichton was speechless. He'd spent monens trying to get Crais to admit this and he'd finally done it.  
  
Without saying anymore, Crais rose slowly and carried his daughter to the door. He opened it quietly, went inside and closed the door. But, before it closed fully, Crichton heard one sentence.  
  
"I need to ask you a question."  
  
Despite the baby in his arms, Crichton couldn't resist silently punching the air.  
  
THE END 


End file.
